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["INSTRUCTIONS"]
[1,"All questions pertaining to this funding opportunity announcement should be emailed to XX@ee.doe.gov. "]
[2,"All questions pertaining to EERE Exchange should be emailed to EERE-ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov. Include FOA name and number in subject line."]
[3,"All questions and answers pertaining to this FOA will be posted on EERE Exchange within this spreadsheet."]
[4,"DOE will attempt to respond to a question within 3 business days, unless a similar question and answer has already been posted in this spreadsheet. "]
[5,"All questions should be submitted not later than 3 business days prior to the application due date. Questions submitted after this date will not be answered."]
[6,"Questions are assigned a number in accordance with when they are reviewed by DOE.  "]
[7,"Questions are assigned a topic area by DOE when reviewed."]
[]
["TIPS"]
[1,"Applicants may sort questions and answers in the question tabs of this spreadhseet by selecting the drop-down box arrow on the column headers and selecting any of the listed attributes."]
[2,"Applicants may search for questions and/or keywords by holding CTRL+F on the keyboard and typing in a phrase or keyword."]

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["ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTION AND ANSWER LOG"]
["DE-FOA-0003323 Water Power Innovation Network "]
["Question #","Date Submitted","Topic","Question","Answer"]
[1,"2024-07-11","Application Content/Format","How many startups does EERE expect or want to be supported through this award?","This FOA seeks to fund new and/or expanded incubator and accelerator programs in hydropower and/or marine energy. The FOA does not specify the number of startups to be supported through the incubator or acceleration entities."]
[2,"2024-07-11","Application Content/Format","Is EERE okay with funding going directly to startups?","See Section I.A.i. of the FOA that \"Through this FOA, WPTO seeks to fund new and/or expanded incubator or accelerator programs that enable entrepreneurship and accelerate water power innovation, business creation, and growth in communities and regions throughout the United States.\" Applicants must meet the Eligibility requirements specified in Section III.A."]
[4,"2024-07-11","Technical Topics","Are hydro-based \"Storage\" applications within scope, or is it only \"Generation\"?","This FOA seeks to fund new and/or expanded incubator and accelerator programs in hydropower and/or marine energy. Please see Section I.A of the FOA and associated reference, https://www.energy.gov/eere/water/hydropower-basics, for WPTO's definition of hydropower. Hydro-based storage would fall within the Hydropower Program's portfolio of technologies. "]
[5,"2024-07-11","Application Content/Format","Does the incubator/accelerator need to be open-to-all, or can it apply specifically to one nascent, burgeoning multi-party hydropower team?","The FOA does not specify whether or not the incubator or accelerator program has to be open to all so long as the program is in alignment with the goals of the FOA and meets specific needs of comercialization pathways for water power innnovators in marine energy and/or hydropower."]
[6,"2024-07-11","Other","Hi All - We have supported WPTO on four projects -- hydropower and marine - we are looking for a team we can join …","There is a teaming partner list in EERE Exchange, TPL-0000056. A teaming partner list may be used to facilitate the formation of new project teams for a funding opportunity announcement (FOA). EERE Exchange includes instructions to submit a teaming part list under User Guides."]
[7,"2024-07-11","Registration Requirements","can a team add a teaming partner after the concept paper?","Team members/Project Partners can be added and finalized between the Concept Paper and the Full Application submission. "]
[8,"2024-07-11","Technical Topics","Is there a certain target in TRL for the technologies you are looking to fund?","No. This FOA seeks to fund new and/or expanded incubator and accelerator programs in hydropower and/or marine energy. Programs may choose to support marine energy and/or hydropower small businesses or startups at any TRL level so long as the program is in alignment with the goals of the FOA and meets specific needs of comercialization pathways for water power innnovators in marine energy and/or hydropower."]
[9,"2024-07-11","Technical Topics","Are mini-hydros (mostly run of river types) aligned to this FOA?","This FOA seeks to fund new and/or expanded incubator and accelerator programs in hydropower and/or marine energy. Please see Section I.A of the FOA and associated reference, https://www.energy.gov/eere/water/hydropower-basics, for WPTO's definition of hydropower. Mini-hydros would fall within the Hydropower Program's portfolio of technologies. "]
[11,"2024-07-11","Eligibility","Does [redacted], as a student club affiliated with a university but not incorporated as a separate legal entity, qualify as an eligible applicant under the definitions provided in DE-FOA-0003323, specifically in terms of being a 'domestic entity' such as an institution of higher education, for-profit entity, nonprofit entity, state and local governmental entity, or a federally recognized Indian tribe?","See Section III.A.i. of the FOA for the types of entities that are eligible to participate as a prime recipient to determine if your club qualifies. Institutions of Higher Education  are eligible to apply, and the university would be the applicant for the purposes of this FOA since it is the legal entity."]
[12,"2024-07-11","Application Content/Format","The breadth of potential project aims/structures/scopes seems quite wide - Can you provide a few examples of the types of projects that fall within the intent of this FOA?","Please review Sections I.A., I.B., and I.D. of the FOA to determine if your project meets the criteria for this FOA. We cannot provide applicants with examples of types of projects. However, if you have a specific technical question related to your proposed project, please submit the question(s) to the FOA mailbox. "]
[13,"2024-07-11","Eligibility","Are projects exempt from qualification if they include a construction or expansion element or that part just does not qualify for funding?","See Section I.D. of the FOA, Applications Specifically Not of Interest, to determine if your application falls under this section. The entire project must meet the FOA requirements in order to be eligible for funding consideration."]
[14,"2024-07-12","Other","I am seeking information about this funding opportunity:  DE-FOA-0003323: WATER POWER INNOVATION NETWORK. However, when I download the pdf file, it says that it is corrupted and not possible to be opened. However, when I download the pdf file, it says that it is corrupted and not possible to be opened.","The file does not appear to be corrupted. Please try using a different browser. If that doesn't work, save the pdf to your desktop and open it from there or try using a different version of Adobe."]
[15,"2024-07-12","Webinar","With regards to DE-FOA-0003323, Water Power Innovation Network, can you provide a link to the webinar held yesterday and recorded?","The webinar recording information has been added to Exchange, and the presentation is available in the Webinar Details section."]
[16,"2024-07-17","Technical Topics","Is there any more detail you can share on the targeted technology? Would enabling technology qualify?","This FOA seeks to fund new and/or expanded incubator and accelerator programs in hydropower and/or marine energy. Hydropower and marine energy are defined in Section I.A.i of the FOA. Further information can be found on the Water Power Technologies Office. See references to Marine Energy Basics (https://www.energy.gov/eere/water/marine-energy-basics) and Hydropower Basics (https://www.energy.gov/eere/water/hydropower-basics)."]
[17,"2024-07-17","Other","What is the source of the funding for this opportunity? Is this an authorized program?","Please review Section I.F. of the FOA. "]
[18,"2024-07-16","Technical Topics","Can you please direct me to where in the FOA it discusses how awardees determine who they provide their programming and services to? We are wondering if the awardees get to choose and if there are any requirements as to the number and type of entities that receive incubation and acceleration programming and services?","The new and/or expanded incubator and accelerator programs should support entrepreneurs and small businesses in marine energy and/or hydropower. As detailed in Section I.A.C of the FOA, there will be two budget Periods. Funded applicants for Budget Period 1 will develop water power incubation and/or acceleration programming and services based on gap assessments and additional research and will be asked to identify target program participants. The FOA does not specificy further who the targeted program participants should be nor the number of program participants should have."]
[19,"2024-07-19","Other","I submitted my Teaming Partner information to the FOA mailbox.  ","Please refer to Section I.A.iii of DE-FOA-0003323 of the FOA for instruction on how to submit Teaming Partner Information."]
[20,"2024-07-24","Concept Paper","Should we include a budget (for $100K) when we submit a concept paper to this FOA (due August 7, 2024)?","Please see Section IV.C. of the FOA for Content and Form of the Concept Paper. "]
[21,"2024-07-24","Application Content/Format","In case we are asked to continue, is the Proposal for Phase I or the Proposal for both phases (I and II) due on September 18, 2024?","Please see Section I.C.i. of the FOA for Down-Select Application: Budget Period 1 Deliverables. "]
[22,"2024-07-25","Eligibility","Please let me know if I am a qualified candidate for this grant.","EERE personnel are prohibited from communicating (in writing or otherwise) with applicants. Feedback on individual concepts will not be provided and the decision whether to apply lies solely with the applicant."]
[24,"2024-07-26","Other","While we're not prepared to compete, we're interested in supporting this initiative, given our region's critical water and power needs and our established business support infrastructure.","A Teaming Partner list has been created for the purpose of connecting applicants with partners (or in this case entities to connect with and support applicants. Please refer to Section I.A.iii of DE-FOA-0003323 of the FOA for instruction on how to submit Teaming Partner Information."]
[25,"2024-07-31","Foreign Entities/Work","1. [redacted company] is an [redacted country] Company, which owns 18 patents and patents pending for its innovative wave energy technology. [redacted company] has recently opened a 100% owned U.S. Subsidiary.  We would like to enquire whether there is any preference for submission with our [redacted country] entity or the U.S. entity.\n2. If we apply with the US-based subsidiary, is there an eligibility criterion that more than 50% of it must be owned by US citizens? \n3. Regardless of the entity that we apply with, we plan to buy all the equipment necessary for the project in the U.S. and only use engineering working hours from [redacted country] engineers (the developers of the technology). Is that acceptable under the terms of this grant opportunity OR is there a certain percentage of work that has to be executed in the U.S. or a certain amount of funding that has to be spent within the U.S.?","1. As stated in the FOA, EERE will not make eligibility determinations for potential applicants prior to the date on which applications to this FOA must be submitted.  Applicants should review Section III.A.i to determine domestic eligibility including that \"The proposed prime recipient and subrecipient(s) must be domestic entities.\" Section III.A.ii. explains that \"In limited circumstances, DOE may approve a waiver to allow a foreign entity to participate as a subrecipient.\"\n2. See Section III.A.i. for the qualifications of a domestic entity.\n3. See Section IV.I.iii. Performance of Work in the United States (Foreign Work Waiver). EERE will not make a determination about the acceptability of a Foreign Work Waiver during the application process. The FOA does not stipulate percentages of work or certain funding amounts to be spent in the U.S."]
[26,"2024-08-06","Other","1. I plan to submit a concept paper for this FOA, and just saw the date for the concept paper has changed. I just want to confirm this is true so that I do not miss the deadline tomorrow?  Also, can you share any information as to why the deadline moved?\n2. Second, I signed up for the teaming list, but I cannot see my company listed.  Moreover I cannot see anyone listed on the teaming list.  Can I ask if my teaming list submission was rejected, and if it was is there anything I did wrong?  Also, can you confirm that no one else is on the teaming list, or perhaps am I just having a problem viewing it on my screen?  ","1. The concept paper deadline has changed and the amendment was published in EERE Exchange and grants.gov. Please see Section VIII.A. of the FOA that applicants \"will only receive an email when an amendment or a FOA is posted on these sites if you register for email notifications for this FOA in Grants.gov.\"\n2. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. The Teaming List view has been corrected and you should see you submission along with the others."]
[27,"2024-08-08","Concept Paper","We submitted the concept paper yesterday and then received notice that the deadline for concept papers was moved to August 28th. I see that the option to edit the concept paper is still available in EERE, but I want to verify that we may do so up until the revised deadline without penalty- is this correct?","See section III.C. Once the Concept Paper or Full Application is submitted in EERE eXCHANGE, applicants may revise or update that submission until the expiration of the applicable deadline. If changes are made to any of these documents, the applicant must resubmit the Concept Paper or Full Application before the applicable deadline."]
[28,"2024-08-14","Foreign Entities/Work","We were selected in the past Teamer's RFTS 12 together with Sandia National Laboratories, we're advancing in the process to start the activities under the program. I have a question about if we can participate in the Water Power Innovation Network event as a Colombian company. We have SAM.gov Unique Entity ID and we're looking for options to continue our research and development activities, focusing on the U.S. market and benefits to its people.","Foreign entities are not eligible to apply as prime applicants. This FOA includes a Teaming list where you may register to partner with a prime applicant whose research and development activities might align with your company's research (see question 6 for Teamlist list instructions). If you apply as a subrecipient, see Section III.A.ii. of the FOA that explains that \"In limited circumstances, DOE may approve a waiver to allow a foreign entity to participate as a subrecipient.\" Also, see Section IV.I.iii. Performance of Work in the United States (Foreign Work Waiver). EERE will not make a determination about the acceptability of a foreign waiver during the application process. "]
[29,"2024-08-26","Other","I understand that this FOA will have two budget periods with Budget Period 1 awarding up to $100k (for 6-9 months) and Budget Period 2 awarding up to $1,000,000 (for 2-3 years). Which of these should we put in the \"Funds and Costs\" section when we are considering the total amount requested and associated period of performance months? ","Applicants should enter the total requested funding for both budget periods and the entire period of performance for both budget periods. "]
[30,"2024-08-26","Other","We understand that this is not an adequate architecture to compete for the FOA - Water Innovation Network. Can you kindly advise what legal construct must be in place to successfully bid for this work.","Refer to Section III.A. of the FOA for entities that are eligible to apply. Also, refer to 2 CFR 200, Subpart 200.1 for a definition of a nonprofit organization. If your organization is interested in partnering as a subrecipient, a Teaming List has been created in Exchange to connect applicants with those interested in partnering as a subrecipient. See questions 6 and 19 for instructions to add your organization to that list"]
[31,"2024-08-26","Other","We are submitting our concept paper with NREL and I have arrived at this screen: \"Applicants are required to contribute a percentage of their total project cost share. Certain Applicants may be eligible for a reduced cost share obligation.  Please refer to the Funding Opportunity for specific cost share requirements.\"","Since cost sharing is not required under this FOA, the cost sharing field has been disabled in EERE Exchange so users will no longer be required to enter a zero in that field. Applicants will no longer receive the message that they are required to contribute a percentage of their total project cost share"]
[32,"2024-08-27","Concept Paper","Concept Paper was submitted to the FOA Mailbox.","The cover page of DE-FOA-0003323 states that “To apply to this FOA, applicants must register with and submit application materials through EERE eXCHANGE at https://eere-eXCHANGE.energy.gov, EERE’s online application portal.” Section IV.G. of the FOA states that “All required submissions must be submitted in EERE eXCHANGE no later than 5 p.m. ET on the dates provided on the cover page of this FOA.” Application materials sent to the FOA email will not be accepted."]
[33,"2024-09-05","Other","I am writing to express my interest in contributing to the review process for the DE-FOA-0003323. ","The U.S. Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) is always in need of subject matter experts to review research funding applications and the current water power portfolio. Information on how to serve as a reviewer can be found at https://www.energy.gov/eere/water/interested-becoming-water-power-reviewer-doe."]
[34,"2024-09-06","Other","Can you provide me guidance  on dealing with the LOI submission and a contact to someone responsible for this technology application?","The deadline to apply for this FOA has passed, but information about the Water Power Technologies Office's SBIR program can be located at https://www.energy.gov/eere/water/small-business-innovation-research-sbir-and-small-business-technology-transfer-sttr."]
[35,"2024-09-13","Other","I would like to know if an applicant that did not submit a concept paper at the suggested due date would still be able to be a potential applicant by the submission  of an full application by the due date .","Applicants must submit a Concept Paper by 5:00 p.m. ET on the due date (August 28, 2024) to be eligible to submit a Full Application."]
[36,"2024-09-17","Other","We are past the deadline maybe you could point us to other funding opportunities in the future.","Open opportunities can be located at https://www.energy.gov/eere/funding/eere-funding-opportunities#open."]
[37,"2024-09-18","Other","This email is to request Leveragent Ltd.’s inclusion in the Teaming Partner List for the Water Power Innovation Network (DE-FOA-0003323).","There is a teaming partner list in EERE Exchange, TPL-0000056. A teaming partner list may be used to facilitate the formation of new project teams for a funding opportunity announcement (FOA). EERE Exchange includes instructions to submit a teaming part list under User Guides."]
[38,"2024-09-19","Other","The concept paper submission has passed and I missed it. Can i submit a full application before the deadline?","Please refer to the response of question #35."]
[39,"2024-09-19","Concept Paper","Is it possible to request review notes around the concept paper we submitted?  ","Concept Paper comments / review notes are not available to applicants for this FOA."]
[40,"2024-09-20","Other","The Q&A spreadsheet states that funding for both phases should be entered in the 'Funds and Cost' section of the online application (see response to item#29). However, the FOA specifies that proposal deliverables should focus only on Phase 1, with Phase 2 budget and SOPO updates occurring later. If we are not defining Phase 2 work now, is it necessary to include a Phase 2 budget and time period? Can we simply enter the time period and budget for Phase 1?","Clarifications have been added to the FOA to address your questions including SOPO and budget clarifications. For the time period, please enter the planned Phase 1 time period and the estimated Phase 2 time period. Please review the Amendment changes in the FOA in EERE Exchange."]
[41,"2024-09-20","Other","The Workplan in the full application Technical Volume for DE-FOA-0003323 (Water Power Innovation Network) is to address only Budget Period 1. Accordingly, should the Budget Justification include only the budget for Budget Period 1? Or does it also need to include an estimated budget for Budget Period 2?","Clarifications have been added to the FOA to address your questions including budget clarifications. Please review the Amendment changes in the FOA in EERE Exchange."]
[null,"2024-10-01","Other","Can I please get assistance applying to this (https://fundhub.wa.gov/funding/water-power-innovation-network/)  grant please? I have the perfect candidate for this grant I just can’t figure out how to apply and submit the proposal. ","Please refer to the response of question #35."]
[null,"2024-10-12","Other","Is it acceptable to use color font for headings, subheadings, and within graphics (such as white text on a dark color box, blue text to call attention to an area of the graphic, etc.)? ","All submissions must conform to the form and content requirements described in Section IV.A. of the FOA. "]
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["Pick List"]
[]
["Registration Requirements"]
["Webinar"]
["Concept Paper"]
["Eligibility"]
["Labs/FFRDCs"]
["Foreign Entities/Work"]
["Cost Sharing"]
["Due Dates"]
["Application Content/Format"]
["Intellectual Property"]
["Data Management"]
["Other"]
["U.S. Manufacturing Plan"]
["Application Reviews"]
["Technical Topics"]